Lackadaisical
by The Musings of a Muse
Summary: Matsumoto Rangiku has a bit of an attitude problem. She hates work, loves sake, and is willing to do just about anything to forget about one Ichimaru Gin. Too bad everything reminds her of him. (A series of connected and not one-shots about Rangiku's character insights and just what, exactly, Gin has to do with them.)


**Yeah, I'm part of the Bleach fandom too. Sue me. But, I'm a big shipper of IchiRuki, UlqiHime, Urahara and Yoruichi (do they have a pairing name?), and GinRan. There's others, a lot more, probably, that I don't really recall at the moment, but this is my feels dump for Gin and Rangiku.**

**I don't own Bleach. That belongs to a Mr. Tite Kubo.**

**Key:**

_**shinigami: **_**Grim Reaper, death god, ect.**

_** fukutaicho: **_**Something like a lieutenant **

_**taicho: **_**captain, as in, with the military**

**-**_**san: **_**an honorific similar to Mr. or Mrs.**

**-**_**chan: **_**something like Miss. Or a way to call a younger girl**

**-**_**sama: **_**used to show great respect to a superior or someone who has power over you**

**-**_**kun: **_**similar to**__**-**_**chan **_**but it's used for younger boys (normally)**

_**sake: **_**rice wine. A favorite drink of Matsumoto's**

_**Gotei 13: **_**normally translated to 'The Thirteen Court Guard Squads'. That's a mouth full, so I use the Japanese version.**

**~MM~**

Matsumoto is meddlesome. If told that and someone disagreed, then they'd obviously never had their love-life under a certain _fukutaicho_'s microscope.

More than one person (or couple) found Rangiku's match-making ways more than unnecessary, but Rangiku kept it up anyway. It was always just a little nudge here, some suggestive words there, maybe even a creative setup every now and again. Why, Hitsugaya-_taicho _and Kurosaki Ichigo's little sister Karin's relationship had her match-making footprints all over it. It was difficult every now and again, she knew, because her _taicho _would come back from The World of the Living on a war path with paperwork and an unseemly frown on his face. Karin was a tough girl to deal with, that was for sure, but their spats never lasted longer than a week (their previous record of no communication being five days).

Matsumoto loved couples like them, like Hitsugaya-_taicho_ and Kurosaki Karin. She loved couples who were able to beat the odds and make their relationship work. She loved rooting for the underdogs and she loved seeing her precious time spent on the individuals come to fruition after so long of watching them awkwardly skirt around their attraction for one another.

Yes, Matsumoto Rangiku loved to meddle in the love-lives of the _Gotei 13_. Some could say that she was as married to her work as Ichigo and Rukia were married to each other (though, she felt that her marriage partner wasn't nearly as liable to give her a concussion if she said something wrong). Unfortunately, she couldn't lay claim to the relationship of the substitute and the _shinigami – _that was all fate's design. Yet she could claim copyright (and the right to _any _new info) of Kyoraku-_taicho _and Nanao-_fukutaicho_'s relationship. She was quick to use her bragging rights about Urahara Kisuke and Shihouin Yoruichi. She was responsible for Kira Izuru and Hinamori Momo's (tentative) relationship. It didn't even stop there! Half, no _two thirds_, of The Thirteen Court Guard Squads owed her a debt of gratitude for transforming their dull lives into something new and exciting.

Rangiku could do without their returned making of a match with herself and any other pary though. She, quite frankly, was content where she was. She didn't _need _a guy. She didn't _need _to put down the sake and "find herself a man". In fact, if anything, Matsumoto thought that she needed some more alcohol to get her through the dates that her friends forced her to go on (she couldn't lie though, those with _sake _involved she went on by her own will). Maybe she should go out more, if it'd keep Hisagi, Izuru and Momo from dropping by ever now and again "just to see how she was doing".

She was fine, after all. She still copped out on doing her paperwork, still drank herself silly before five p.m., still poked and prodded for all of the juicy gossip floating around, but she did suppose that something was..._off_.

Her paperwork didn't get done _quite _as quickly as it used to (even if Hitsugaya didn't yell at her for it all the time anymore).

Her _sake _supply came up empty more than usual, and she could barely remember what happened after two in the afternoon.

The gossip around seemed to be a lot more bland than it was normally, but maybe that was because it was about her instead of other people.

Shuuhei had come over to her house once when she was rummaging around for more _sake _in the back of her cupboards. Rangiku had been pretty sure that the day had been a Saturday and that the time when he showed up had been a little past three. Though, she couldn't be sure, because she hadn't really noticed him right away. She blamed that on his contemplatively quiet demeanor as he'd walked around her home. He'd seemed slightly sad, maybe a little angry at the way that he saw things. Rangiku was pretty sure she'd walked behind him the entire time he'd been touring her house, but she wasn't certain because somehow she'd ended up in the living room (which they hadn't passed yet) before he did (her memory of that particular Saturday was blurry at best. Everything was shiny and constantly spinning. Not to mention, every time she looked at Shuuhei, she'd seen pale skin, silver hair, closed eyes and an easy smirk).

Hisagi had walked in with a white coat in his hands. One of the sleeves was torn and frayed beyond repair and there was a clumsily stitched rip running diagonally from where the wear's hear would have been to their ribs. It looked as if it had been cut with a sword – a sword that had undoubtedly the life of the clothing's owner.

"I can help you forget, you know. We all lost something during the War, but you're one of the only one who hasn't moved on yet," that's what he'd whispered to her, in the stark silence of her living room while running his fingers lightly over the white material of the robe.

Surprisingly, she could remember everything after that clearly. Shuuhei came back into her line of vision, the silver dripping from his hair like water, closed eyes opening and reveling a curious mix of purple and black. An easy smile became a worried frown and, in less than thirty seconds, the _fukutaicho _of the ninth division was back before her; tattoos, dark skin, and all.

Maybe it was the alcohol, maybe the clothing he was holding, but Matsumoto never once gave Hisagi's offer a second thought. He was a good friend, too good for her to use in any way. Not to mention that Rangiku just couldn't find it in herself to betray _him _like that.

She may love fiddling with people's love-lives but Matsumoto does so with the best of intentions in mind. After all, once you get to the the Soul Society it's the last leg of your journey in the same body with the foggy memories from your past. It's the last chance for people to find love and to hold on to what's most important. It's the last time for people to fall in love, to be loved, and to love before they become someone else.

She'd been too late in realizing her feelings, but she refused to let anyone else make the same mistake she had. She wasn't going to let her own failed chance ruin one of her best friend's last chance. Behind Shuuhei, a shadow of a smirk, a flash of pale skin, and a glimpse of winter's blue eyes made her resolve concrete. She wouldn't use Shuuhei, and she'd never forget.

"So Hisagi, I don't plan on forgetting any time soon."

**~MM~**

Two years had passed since she'd rejected Hisagi's proposition. He'd ended up with the up and becoming third seat of his division.

Rangiku added another check to the list.

Now, as she reclined into her sofa, a certain white garment wrapped around her like a blanket, Rangiku decided that she was most definitely married to her work. She didn't mind though. She did her work well and with her entire soul thrown into it.

_After all, _she mused while leaning back into the fading scent of dried permissions and crisp winter, _my job doesn't come without perks_. She had a silent helper, smiling his way through the loneliness and coming to stand next to her in the times she felt she might break.

There were clear blue eyes around every corner, warning her not to take another step or beckoning her to take another step forward.

There was a firm hand in her own leading her through the after life to the places she most needed to be.

There were reprimands and scoldings when she went too far or gave up too soon.

There was laughter joining her own that only she ever got to hear when she messed up or made a fool of herself.

And there was always a promise, hanging around her neck on a warm silver chain. A little promise, the only one she'd ever need, connected in a never ending circle. His promise was around her neck, hanging over her heart.

She had a feeling that he'd planned for this. What, with the words that the gift had been presented with:

"_You've done good, Ran-chan. This is just my way of sayin' that I'll always be there, watching out for ya."_

Yes, Matsumoto Rangiku loved to meddle in the love-lives of others. Anyone could tell you that. But there was a certain reason behind it that many didn't know.

She loved to meddle and that was because a certain ex-third division captain had taught her how.

**~MM~**

** (is bawling her eyes out) WHY DO I DO THIS TO MYSELF?!**

**Anyway, what'd you guys think? I was crying in the middle of exams as I wrote this, so I'm pretty sure that people think I'm insane or something now.**

**I love these two together, and I'm going to keep writing this for them too, as I get more inspiration. The next one should be coming out soon, I just have to do a little research on _sake _types.**

**R&R PLEASE!**


End file.
